Australian tennis veteran Bernard Tomic has seen his hopes of a main draw return to the Australian Open extinguished, falling in the final round of qualifying on Wednesday.
Straight-Sets Exit Ends Comeback Bid
Tomic, who had shown promising form with a dominant first-round qualifying win, was unable to overcome Britain's Arthur Fery. The 33-year-old Queenslander lost in straight sets, 6-4, 6-2, ending his campaign to reach the season's first Grand Slam.
This result is a setback for Tomic, who has been gradually rebuilding his ranking after it plummeted to a low of 835th in late 2022. His current world ranking sits at No.182, a significant improvement but not enough to secure direct entry into the Melbourne Park event.
Mixed Fortunes for Australian Contenders
It was a day of contrasting outcomes for local players aiming for the Australian Open main draw. On a positive note, Dane Sweeny moved to within one victory of qualification after a solid 6-4, 6-4 win over Switzerland's Jerome Kym.
In the women's qualifying, Olivia Gadecki put up a strong fight but ultimately fell to former world No.3 and US Open champion Sloane Stephens, 6-3, 3-6, 3-6.
Meanwhile, in Hobart, young talent Taylah Preston advanced to the quarter-finals of the Hobart International with a convincing 6-4, 6-1 victory over Rebecca Sramkova.
Kokkinakis Injury Casts Shadow Over Open Hopes
In concerning news for Australian fans, crowd favourite Thanasi Kokkinakis has withdrawn from the Adelaide International due to a shoulder injury. This development puts him in a race against time to be fit for his home Grand Slam next week.
Kokkinakis had only recently returned to competition following pectoral surgery, managing a win over Sebastian Korda in Adelaide. However, he was visibly struggling with discomfort during that match. By Wednesday, he determined he could not contest his second-round match against Valentin Vacherot.
All attention now turns to his recovery, with the hope he can regain fitness in time to make an impact at Melbourne Park when the Australian Open begins.
